April 27th, 2010Rumors Articles No CommentsWhen Volkswagen needed to fill an important gap in their line up, the German automaker turned to Chrysler whose best selling line of minivans were just what the doctor ordered. …
…VW has a pair of sport/utility models in their line up, but no crossover model. Thus, the Routan minivan fills the gap whether it is a strong seller or not.
A Turbo Diesel Motor For VW?
But Volkswagen may need to expand the Routan to include a diesel engine option if it is to become a relevant player in the market. Volkswagen is currently in the middle of a quest to offer diesel technology as an option across all of its many model lines, thus leaving the Routan out would do the model some disservice.
Because the Routan is built by Chrysler, Volkswagen would perhaps extend this option to Chrysler to include these engines in the Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Gran Caravan. That move would serve to share costs of selling diesel technology across the entire platform as well as make other modifications necessary to ensure that the minivans could handle a V6 diesel engine. Some have said that the current transmission pairing wouldn’t be appropriate as that gearbox wouldn’t be able to handle the added torque. Thus a modified transmission would need to be developed, an additional cost that consumers may not be willing to bear.
The Future of the Minivan
Chrysler has been widely credited with developing the modern day minivan, a segment it long dominated. The two Chrysler Group LLC models outsell the competition, …
Having recently exited bankruptcy and fallen under the control of the Fiat Group, Chrysler’s long term product plans aren’t quite clear yet. However, with their minivans still playing an important role in the market, Chrysler’s long term commitment to this line seems assured. With that in mind, Volkswagen will probably remain a willing partner, perhaps choosing to add a diesel offering at some point down the line.
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